CAUTION: Do not attempt this topic until you have read this week’s lecture. Reality is not what you think it is.
You may have heard the brain teaser, sometimes a favorite among philosophers, “If a tree falls in the forest, and there is no one (and no animal) there to hear it, was there a sound?”
Your task in this conference topic is to answer this question after having read the lecture on General Principles of Sensory Systems, giving support for your answer based upon what you have learned about the nature of sound, about sensory processes, and about the role of brain systems in sensation and perception. 5-10 well organized sentences should suffice (you must read my lectures in this week’s Discussion in order to understand the correct answer to this question; “common sense” won’t work here because it is wrong). Read and respond to at least two of the responses posted by your classmates.
CAUTION: Be sure to consult the lectures in this conference (and the textbook) to help guide the formulation of your answer.
